Mail Call | Dark Horse to bring several comiXology Originals titles to print

A round-up of news from DC, Marvel, Titan Comics, IDW and more.

Mail Call is a roundup of the announcements we’ve received from comics publishers in our mailboxes recently. Hit the links for more information.

ComiXology announced this week that they’ve struck a deal with Dark Horse to bring several of their comiXology Originals digital titles to print, starting with four titles next spring: Afterlift, Breaklands, Youth and The Black Ghost.

“We were always hopeful comiXology Originals books would get into readers’ hands via comics retailers and book stores, and Dark Horse is a terrific collaborator to work with to do so, with an unmatched history of supporting creator-owned projects alongside unmatched distribution expertise. This deal fortifies the ability for these stories to reach customers like never before,” said David Steinberger, comiXology co-founder and CEO. “We’re thrilled to be working with Dark Horse.”

Image to bring Universe! to print

Speaking of digital comics coming to print, Albert Monteys’ Eisner-nominated digital series, Universe!, will get a landscape hardcover edition courtesy of Image Comics. The five-issue series originally ran on Panel Syndicate (where it is still available).

“As a science-fiction fan I’ve always found that the short story format is the place where the genre casts a brighter light,” said Monteys. “From the classic stories of the golden age of sci-fi magazines or the Twilight Zone to Black Mirror. Meaningful stories with powerful ideas, spiked with wonder that leave you wanting more. Graphically I find myself going back to EC science-fiction comics from the ’50s, Warren Magazines from the ’70s and Les Humanoides Associées from the ’80s, all great stuff!”

Marvel previews Shang-Chi #1

Variant cover by Dike Ruan

Marvel released some preview art and more details on their upcoming ShangChi relaunch by Gene Luen Yang, Dike Ruan and Philip Tan. Per Marvel, the series will focus on Shang-Chi’s origins:

“An ancient and evil secret society has stayed in hiding since the death of their leader, Zheng Zu. But now his successor has been chosen to shift the balance of power in the world — Zheng Zu’s son, Shang-Chi! Witness the Marvel Universe’s greatest fighter return to a world of death and destruction he thought he left behind long ago — and discover the secrets to Shang-Chi’s past that will change his world forever.”

The first issue is apparently going to have a lot of variant covers; here’s one by Pixar animator Benjamin Su:

And here’s one by Kim Jacinto, with more to come:

And here’s a preview of the first issue:

The miniseries was announced last March and was originally supposed to debut in June, but due to COVID-19-related delays, the first issue will now arrive in stores in September.

D + Q to publish OGN by MOntreal’s Mayor

Drawn+Quarterly will publish Okay, Universe: Chronicles of a Woman in Politics by Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante and Delphie Côté-Lacroix in October 2020.

“The fact that the Mayor of Montreal is choosing to tell her story for the first time via the language of comics with GG-winning Delphie Côté-Lacroix perfectly captures the city of Montreal; its love of bande dessinée; and why it is at the forefront of the medium,” said Peggy Burns, D+Q publisher. “Mayor Plante is publishing locally, in simultaneous English and French editions. This means a child in the EMSB can read a gorgeously drawn, sincere account of Montreal’s first elected female mayor at the same as a child in the CSDM. This is the Montreal we adore.”

IDW + The Nib team for Be Gay, Do Comics

IDW and the excellent webcomics site The Nib are teaming up for an anthology called Be Gay, Do Comics. Per the publisher, it will feature “over 250 pages of queer history presented through deeply personal true stories, insightful memoir, and gut-busting satire.” Contributors include Hazel Newlevant, Joey Alison Sayers, Maia Kobabe, Matt Lubchansky, Breena Nuñez, Sasha Velour, Shing Yin Khor, Levi Hastings, Mady G, Josh Trujillo, Bianca Xunise, Kazimir Lee and more.

“When The Nib set out to do our first anthology in five years, we knew right away it would be centered around queer comics. Indie comics is a very queer space these days and that’s reflected in our huge list of contributors,” said The Nib’s Matt Bors. “Part of what The Nib does is provide a platform for up-and-coming and marginalized voices. That’s reflected in our huge list of queer and trans contributors.”

Here are some sample pages:

Look for it in bookstores and comic shops next week.

Batman: Three Jokers #2 preview

Following the release of the first issue this past week, DC has posted a preview of Three Jokers #2, their new blockbuster Black Label title from Geoff Johns, Jason Fabok and Brad Anderson.

The second issue comes out Sept. 29.

Trailer: DOCTOR WHO: TIME LORD VICTORIOUS #1

Titan Comics has released a trailer for their newest Doctor Who comic, which arrives in stores next week. It’s described as “a thrilling new adventure for the Tenth Doctor (as played by fan-favorite David Tennant) that sees the shocking return of his deadliest enemies: the Daleks!”

Marvel invades Fortnite (and vice versa)

Fans of Marvel and Fortnite had quite a week this week, as the popular video game introduced several Marvel characters into the fold. Marvel also announced a series of variant covers featuring Marvel characters interacting with those from Fortnite, while a special comic on Marvel Unlimited tells the story of how this crossover happened (it ties into the recently released Thor #4).

Dell’edera covers Department of Truth

Image Comics revealed a variant cover for the first issue of The Department of Truth, by artists Werther Dell’edera and Giovanna Niro. The new title debuts Sept. 30.

Titan to publish Wika in English

Titan Comics announced plans to publish an English-language version of Wika, a steampunk fantasy by French creators Thomas Day and Olivier Ledroit.

Do not be deceived … Wika is a twist on everything you expect from a fairy tale. Uncover Thomas Day’s first comic book story – a dark tale of magic and mystery, with fairies, dwarves, goblins and elves, in a stunning epic fantasy world brought to life by the beautiful illustrations of Olivier Ledroit, available for the first time in English from Titan Comics, out March 2021.

X of Swords trailer

Marvel has released a trailer for it’s upcoming X-Men event, X of Swords. The crossover event will run through the various X titles, but will kick off next month in X of Swords: Creation #1.

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